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| The backbone of early SummerSlams, with the design the way Crom intended Photo via Flickr |
It's Saturday and the Wrestling Blog, which means it's Twitter Request Line time! Usually the bossman takes the questions from the Twittah Machine about pro graps, foodstuffs, and the rest of pop culture. You can follow him @tholzerman and get your questions in Friday nights post-Smackdown. Or you can send it in whenever, really. But with the honcho away, the underlings will play, and since I love doing this and was unsurpisingly available it's your intrepid Best Coast Biaser Butch Rosser (@damnitbutch) in to A up your Qs.
Let's get this party started promptly with the head cheese himself, who asks How does it feel being only the second sexiest author of The Wrestling Blog?
Danielle's very cute. I don't mind.
The queen of the Best Coast Bias Fan Club Samantha Allen offers the following: What is your favorite Intercontinental Title match that took place at Summerslam?
Sparing the whole rant I could include at this point that'd mention while the first five years of SummerSlam have some of my favorite matches ever, let alone for the Intercontinental Title and in the past five the only one I remember is the Ziggler/Misterio show opener a few years ago, my answer's pretty standard actually --
Dom Falance, who somehow has been a fan of mine for the entire 21st century (!) wants to know if I still have an obsession with Jennifer Love Hewitt.
The other four lifetime Rosserarians (or whatever the poor bastards who actually remember the stuff I loved to death in high school) will remember the torch burning extra bright for JLH ever since her first appearance on Party of Five. While it's lessened, it's never really gone away. This video earlier in the year helped justify young me's good taste. I still bump How Do I Deal? every-so-often, too. It's still real to me, damnit!
Rich Thomas from the superawesome International Object podcast queries: Is it worth my time to try and go back and watch the Nexus storyline I totally missed?
Nope. Actually, if you want the general gist of it before SuperCena buried it under an avalanche of hustle, loyalty and respect, you don't need to see much: the initial attack, them jumping the legends, them jumping the McMahons, and the 14-man tag team battle from Summerslam 2010 that I think is still underrated. Of course, this year's SummerSlam will reveal this to be the longest of all long cons when Wade Barrett helps OUR MAIN MAN D-BRY RIGHT THERE win the WWE Championship and the Nexus will reform as his hired goons thus getting their revenge on Cena for his usurping them that summer. But I digress. And may've dipped into the peyote early.
Here's a query from fellow SoCalian Brandon Mars, who asks What does it say when the NXT Women's Title is a lot nicer looking than the WWE Divas Title?
...everything's nicer and more awesome in NXT and people should watch it every single week?
My longtime brother from another mother Kenny Borsuk would like to take down to Dixieland, one of the few I allow the privilege, and has a Daily Double to ask: Does TNA exist in 2 years? And, if not, which talent could legitimately be pushed in WWE?
I feel TNA is going to keep chugging along as long as the ratings don't absolutely nosedive for Impact or Panda Energy suddenly doesn't like losing boatloads of cash (cash which I will happily accept if they're looking to throw some greenbacks around). It's not the sort of thing where they have to worry about anything besides those two masters, and while I don't agree with all the recent spate of cuts I'm wondering if they're just (ill)logical extensions of things like them covering more of the country. I do want to be live for Bound For Glory, after all.
If this were Oddsmakers on PTI I'd give them 70%. Assuming the ship were to go down and the McOpoly was as good as verified, there are a handful of people I think would be able to survive the crossover. You know they're going to get at least a match or two out of Sting (straight cash homey), and the same with Angle and Hardy who probably still have name prestige and would get to go on a little run akin to what Van Dam's doing right now. If they can get Joe to give a rat's ass they need to fire him towards the top immediately. I think Bully Ray can do what he's been doing on RAW or Smackdown as is without the lousy back-up singers.
AJ Styles would probably become a millionaire's Evan Bourne but he'd probably revert to his previous countenance and lose the emo kid in the corner, which is a mild shame but totally necessary in this hypothetical instance. I mean, he's so Southern I doubt he'd ever work for Vince, but that still doesn't mean I wouldn't be into him in the right matchups (and let's be honest the WWE roster is already spilling at the brim so a TNA shutdown would make things even more ridiculous). Austin Aries could probably have a great run as they seem to be fine with the old ROH vanguard after a brief period of humilation though you know TEH SHEETZ!!~! would be kicking his dirt up roughly every 48 seconds. He does bring it on himself, but even so. And either with or without Kaz, I want a massive audience to see what an excellent smarmy piece of garbage Christopher Daniels is in character. I've even been sitting on an entrance idea to Alice In Chains' "Get Born Again" for the Fallen Angel I think I created back when Dom Falance had only heard of me for a couple of years.
I think Magnus might get a possible shot - you can always throw his lot in with Barrett if all else fails - and the former cohabitants of Beer Money, Inc either seperately or together should be worth the relative pennies it'd cost Uncle Vinnie to use them. They can easily bolster the Divas division by bringing back pretty much everybody who left (Gail/Tara/Mickie) and of course my heart and other bodily locales will hope Miss Tessmacher gets to make another run in the big time and back that ass up like Juvenile. She's a nice, cute whooty. I'm only human after all.
My alter ego's running buddy and Jersey boy Sean brings up an interesting question: Professional wrestling: more or less resistant to change than "business" in general?
I don't think there's much of difference, especially in the case of Stamford--you have an older generaton selling to the one before them (and maybe the one before that) and generally not into much by ways of innovating unless they have the possibility of cornering the market on their side and/or it's a variant on an idea that's proven to be profitable.
Yes, I see a direct line between WWE and social media vs. the music industry and the attack of the Nirvana clones of my youth. Springboarding from the previous question, especially if TNA should be rendered asunder.it'll be interesting to see if more indies put full-length shows online or start using the web to supplement their main stories. The whole Kaitlyn/AJ/Big E set-up and payoff, for instance, had a flurry of Twitter posts that only added to the story told on TV. But to paraphrase Ghandi: first they ignore it, then they don't get it, then they ridicule it, then they fight it, then they do it their way with a very minor twist, and then they're suddenly making it ubiquitous to show the kids who's cool, and then you win.
The tremendous advocate @GayWrestlingFan has a question I've always wished somebody would ask me - Who would be your perfect tag team partner, and what would you team name be?
Since I am a tiny pacifist, my partner will be Mark Henry and we will be Black Power. It'll be like a multimillionaire's Enzo Amore/Colin Cassidy NXT run or a Shawn Michaels/Diesel thing for fellow old-timers, where I get in cheap shots and smacktalk from the apron while Mark does all the work before I tag in and we win the match. OUR HEARTS DON'T PUMP NO KOOL-AID WHICH IS A REFRESHING BEVERAGE BUT NEVERTHELESS IF WE CHARGE FOR AIR YOU KEEP YOUR BILL PAID! You can totally fit that on a shirt, right?
And finally, my occasional partner behind the decks and full-time fighter of injustice against the Man Arturo Garcia gets to the crux of Summerslam (which I'm going to be at AWW YISS): So, you think should it go Bryan victory-into-Orton cash-in?
Well, yeah. It gives Bryan full main event Cena-level status since he beat Cena himself at the second-biggest event of the year (assuming, and hopefully cleanly, and dreaming hopefully a tap-out to the LeBell). It's karmic payback for him giving the Big Show a 45 second title reign, or however long they say that was from TLC 2011 while continuing the history from WrestleMania 28 last spring of his apple cart continuing to be upset in big event championship matches. He continues his chase to be the best in the world with it firmly implanted in everyone's head that he can and should be the champion right now.
It turns Orton heel, which is something he and all of us maligning him for so long have wanted for nigh upon years now. Not only that, Orton pays back Bryan for the humilation of making him tap out mid-ring by stealing the biggest moment of his career to date. To be honest, it's the path I thought we've been heading down ever since he tapped out and is the only real justification of having him win the briefcase. Enjoy your weekend, Blogites. And remember: Condor Security only wins if you let them.
The other four lifetime Rosserarians (or whatever the poor bastards who actually remember the stuff I loved to death in high school) will remember the torch burning extra bright for JLH ever since her first appearance on Party of Five. While it's lessened, it's never really gone away. This video earlier in the year helped justify young me's good taste. I still bump How Do I Deal? every-so-often, too. It's still real to me, damnit!
Rich Thomas from the superawesome International Object podcast queries: Is it worth my time to try and go back and watch the Nexus storyline I totally missed?
Nope. Actually, if you want the general gist of it before SuperCena buried it under an avalanche of hustle, loyalty and respect, you don't need to see much: the initial attack, them jumping the legends, them jumping the McMahons, and the 14-man tag team battle from Summerslam 2010 that I think is still underrated. Of course, this year's SummerSlam will reveal this to be the longest of all long cons when Wade Barrett helps OUR MAIN MAN D-BRY RIGHT THERE win the WWE Championship and the Nexus will reform as his hired goons thus getting their revenge on Cena for his usurping them that summer. But I digress. And may've dipped into the peyote early.
Here's a query from fellow SoCalian Brandon Mars, who asks What does it say when the NXT Women's Title is a lot nicer looking than the WWE Divas Title?
...everything's nicer and more awesome in NXT and people should watch it every single week?
My longtime brother from another mother Kenny Borsuk would like to take down to Dixieland, one of the few I allow the privilege, and has a Daily Double to ask: Does TNA exist in 2 years? And, if not, which talent could legitimately be pushed in WWE?
I feel TNA is going to keep chugging along as long as the ratings don't absolutely nosedive for Impact or Panda Energy suddenly doesn't like losing boatloads of cash (cash which I will happily accept if they're looking to throw some greenbacks around). It's not the sort of thing where they have to worry about anything besides those two masters, and while I don't agree with all the recent spate of cuts I'm wondering if they're just (ill)logical extensions of things like them covering more of the country. I do want to be live for Bound For Glory, after all.
If this were Oddsmakers on PTI I'd give them 70%. Assuming the ship were to go down and the McOpoly was as good as verified, there are a handful of people I think would be able to survive the crossover. You know they're going to get at least a match or two out of Sting (straight cash homey), and the same with Angle and Hardy who probably still have name prestige and would get to go on a little run akin to what Van Dam's doing right now. If they can get Joe to give a rat's ass they need to fire him towards the top immediately. I think Bully Ray can do what he's been doing on RAW or Smackdown as is without the lousy back-up singers.
AJ Styles would probably become a millionaire's Evan Bourne but he'd probably revert to his previous countenance and lose the emo kid in the corner, which is a mild shame but totally necessary in this hypothetical instance. I mean, he's so Southern I doubt he'd ever work for Vince, but that still doesn't mean I wouldn't be into him in the right matchups (and let's be honest the WWE roster is already spilling at the brim so a TNA shutdown would make things even more ridiculous). Austin Aries could probably have a great run as they seem to be fine with the old ROH vanguard after a brief period of humilation though you know TEH SHEETZ!!~! would be kicking his dirt up roughly every 48 seconds. He does bring it on himself, but even so. And either with or without Kaz, I want a massive audience to see what an excellent smarmy piece of garbage Christopher Daniels is in character. I've even been sitting on an entrance idea to Alice In Chains' "Get Born Again" for the Fallen Angel I think I created back when Dom Falance had only heard of me for a couple of years.
I think Magnus might get a possible shot - you can always throw his lot in with Barrett if all else fails - and the former cohabitants of Beer Money, Inc either seperately or together should be worth the relative pennies it'd cost Uncle Vinnie to use them. They can easily bolster the Divas division by bringing back pretty much everybody who left (Gail/Tara/Mickie) and of course my heart and other bodily locales will hope Miss Tessmacher gets to make another run in the big time and back that ass up like Juvenile. She's a nice, cute whooty. I'm only human after all.
My alter ego's running buddy and Jersey boy Sean brings up an interesting question: Professional wrestling: more or less resistant to change than "business" in general?
I don't think there's much of difference, especially in the case of Stamford--you have an older generaton selling to the one before them (and maybe the one before that) and generally not into much by ways of innovating unless they have the possibility of cornering the market on their side and/or it's a variant on an idea that's proven to be profitable.
Yes, I see a direct line between WWE and social media vs. the music industry and the attack of the Nirvana clones of my youth. Springboarding from the previous question, especially if TNA should be rendered asunder.it'll be interesting to see if more indies put full-length shows online or start using the web to supplement their main stories. The whole Kaitlyn/AJ/Big E set-up and payoff, for instance, had a flurry of Twitter posts that only added to the story told on TV. But to paraphrase Ghandi: first they ignore it, then they don't get it, then they ridicule it, then they fight it, then they do it their way with a very minor twist, and then they're suddenly making it ubiquitous to show the kids who's cool, and then you win.
The tremendous advocate @GayWrestlingFan has a question I've always wished somebody would ask me - Who would be your perfect tag team partner, and what would you team name be?
Since I am a tiny pacifist, my partner will be Mark Henry and we will be Black Power. It'll be like a multimillionaire's Enzo Amore/Colin Cassidy NXT run or a Shawn Michaels/Diesel thing for fellow old-timers, where I get in cheap shots and smacktalk from the apron while Mark does all the work before I tag in and we win the match. OUR HEARTS DON'T PUMP NO KOOL-AID WHICH IS A REFRESHING BEVERAGE BUT NEVERTHELESS IF WE CHARGE FOR AIR YOU KEEP YOUR BILL PAID! You can totally fit that on a shirt, right?
And finally, my occasional partner behind the decks and full-time fighter of injustice against the Man Arturo Garcia gets to the crux of Summerslam (which I'm going to be at AWW YISS): So, you think should it go Bryan victory-into-Orton cash-in?
Well, yeah. It gives Bryan full main event Cena-level status since he beat Cena himself at the second-biggest event of the year (assuming, and hopefully cleanly, and dreaming hopefully a tap-out to the LeBell). It's karmic payback for him giving the Big Show a 45 second title reign, or however long they say that was from TLC 2011 while continuing the history from WrestleMania 28 last spring of his apple cart continuing to be upset in big event championship matches. He continues his chase to be the best in the world with it firmly implanted in everyone's head that he can and should be the champion right now.
It turns Orton heel, which is something he and all of us maligning him for so long have wanted for nigh upon years now. Not only that, Orton pays back Bryan for the humilation of making him tap out mid-ring by stealing the biggest moment of his career to date. To be honest, it's the path I thought we've been heading down ever since he tapped out and is the only real justification of having him win the briefcase. Enjoy your weekend, Blogites. And remember: Condor Security only wins if you let them.